Give us Telangana state: TRS to Prime Minister

TRS on Wednesday appealed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to form separate Telangana state as promised in 2009, a day before the Srikrishna Committee is likely to submit the report on the issue.

"I appeal to the Prime Minister to implement the promise made in Parliament. If the promise made in Parliament is not fulfilled, will the people have faith in democracy?" TRS president K Chandrasekhar Rao said, addressing a gathering at the party office in Hyderabad.

Observing that the Andhra Government has agreed to withdraw the police cases against pro-statehood students only after the Congress MPs undertook a fast, he said that they should show the same spirit for the Centre to table a Bill in Parliament for the formation of Telangana state.

Taking exception to the heavy deployment of Central forces in Telangana ahead of the submission of the report, Rao said the move is creating an "atmosphere of terror" in the region.

"We cooperated with the government after it appointed Srikrishna Committee. The heavy deployment of forces, is it a gift for our silence? The force deployment is a provocation. I am telling the Chief Minister and DGP, we will move ahead in a peaceful manner. The government will burn its fingers if they resort to such things without any provocation from us."

Asserting that the "political battalion" has the major responsibility in achieving separate Telangana, he said the Congress MPs, MLAs and others should be prepared to quit their posts for getting a Bill tabled in Parliament in the budget session for formation of the separate state.

"We are at a historic moment. If you sacrifice for Telangana, then you will be remembered in history. Otherwise, you will have no history," Rao said.

Stating that the ongoing battle is not the "last battle" for achieving separate Telangana, Rao asked the Telangana supporters to fight till the end.

"A soldier is one who fights till the end, till the goal is achieved. We have to fight till the end."

The TRS president was speaking after a meeting of the party's state executive committee.

Speaking at the closed-door meet, he predicted the possibility of a mid-term poll in the state due to various factors and asked the party cadres to be prepared for it, sources said.

Asked about Rao's reported remarks about the possibility of a mid-term poll, TRS floor leader in the assembly E Rajender said the party would utilise the electoral process, besides the agitation, for achieving Telangana.

"TRS would use any opportunity that will help in achieving separate statehood goal. Besides the agitation path, the electoral process too," he said.

Rajender briefed the media on the state executive deliberations.

The state executive endorsed the plan of action for agitations that was announced by the Telangana Joint Action Committee (JAC) earlier.

The JAC, an umbrella body of statehood supporters, called for sit-ins at mandal headquarters, collectorates and road blockades and hunger strikes beginning January 5.